This Month’s One Thing: Being a Manager Is a Responsibility, Not a Reward

If you’re like me, you probably find yourself citing Gallup research all the time. (Think of all the stats we know and recite, like the fact that only a third of the world’s workforce is engaged in their work. Or, the stat that those people who have a best friend at work are 7 times more likely to be highly engaged in their work. Or, the stat that those who leverage their strengths everyday are 6 times more likely to be engaged in their work. All of these are Gallup stats.)?

All of this is to say that I was super excited about having the chance to get some deeper insights from Gallup insiders in my most recent LinkedIn Live. My guests were Gallup Senior Consultant Cristina Man and former Gallup Physical Wellbeing Lead Ryan Wolf. The theme of our conversation was Lessons from Gallup - and how we can apply these toward optimizing workplaces and helping people to reach their full potential.

There were lots of aha moments for me, but the insight that struck me the most was Cristina’s summation of how we’ve gotten it all wrong in our management promotion practices. As she explained: Becoming a manager is framed up as a reward, when in fact it is a responsibility.

Here is the all-too-common scenario. Someone who is a high performer is “rewarded” for their good work by getting promoted into a management position. But then suddenly, they’re no longer getting to use the technical skills that got them noticed in the first place. For example, maybe they were a superstar accountant who’s really good at numbers or maybe they’re a software engineer who’s really good at coding. "You've excelled in your current role, and now you're being promoted to manager. Congratulations!"?

Suddenly, they’re expected to deliver on a whole new set of skills, namely, managing people. And that very thing that got them there in the first place becomes secondary to the task of running a team. More often than not, they’re shortchanged on resources and ill equipped with too little training. It’s a recipe for disaster. The individual who’s promoted is unsatisfied, the team suffers and the organization now risks losing a high-performing individual.

Having the right stuff to live up to the responsibility of being a great manager is far from commonplace; it’s rare. As Ryan explained in his follow up, an earlier Gallup study conducted by Jim Harter and Randal J. Beck, found that only 1 out of 10 people are innately equipped to be a great manager and only 2 out of 10 can become one (through training).

If one of the most important decisions a company can make is who they choose as manager, then what is the solution to this ongoing problem??

If you missed the conversation last week, you can watch it here.

Next Month: The One and Only, Amy Edmondson

I am beyond thrilled to announce that my special guest for my May Live is, Amy Edmondson , the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, and a renowned expert in Psychological Safety.?

Amy’s work has had a profound impact on my career, providing me with the data, insights and language needed to move leaders to lead differently. Specifically, she has helped to shape how I make the case to leaders, across all industries, to shift from a fear-based approach to one that empowers people to feel safe in speaking out.?

Please join us on 5/21 at 9:15AM PT for an impactful conversation. RSVP, here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Putnam, CEO of Motion Infusion & Author of Workplace Wellness That Works, is on a mission to leverage every workplace and every team to promote better health, happiness, and well-being. Subscribe to Laura’s newsletter to get 4 tangible ideas each month to infuse well-being at work and at home.